Update from Australia on wildlife efforts in wake of catastrophic bushfires. Like so many around the world we have been deeply affected by the bushfire crisis in Australia. The fires which have been burning since September have torched more than 15.6 million acres of land, leaving over 1,400 homes destroyed and wildlife devastated.

Meet Maryanne, a koala that survived a raging fire in Queensland, Australia. She is currently being cared for at RSPCA Queensland wildlife hospital. Thanks to generous WWF supporters around the world, we have been able to deploy emergency funds to the wildlife hospital to help specialist veterinarians treat wildlife injured by the Australian bushfires.

Amid the devastation of the raging Australian bushfires, one fortunate family is amazed and delighted by the return of Angel, their pet cat who ran away over a week ago as her guardians’ house burned to the ground.

Ben Symonds and his family thought they lost both of their two pet cats, Angel and Mickey, when the felines disappeared from their burning home in Bega Valley, New South Wales. They ran into nearby bushland.

“We had to leave them when the fire descended whilst we were packing to evacuate,” Ben posted on Reddit.

After fighting the flames, which destroyed most of their property, the Symonds family searched for their beloved cats, tempting them with food. When their efforts failed, the family accepted the awful reality that they’d probably never see them again.

Seven days later, however, Ben and his family discovered Angel in a ditch close to their burned down house. They believe she survived by hiding in a wombat hole to escape the fire. Luckily, she wasn’t severely injured but did suffer scorched fur, ears and whiskers.

“Our cat came home after missing in the fires for seven nights,” Ben wrote. “She’s burnt but should live. We thought [she was] lost when the fire consumed most of our property. Best feeling ever to walk out and see her alive.”

“It’s an amazing feeling after we accepted her loss,” he added. “Her ears are the only things that really got injured, her feet are not even burnt, she’s happy and super cuddly.”

Symonds recently reported that Angel is now “almost back to normal.” Since Angel managed to survive in the bush for so long, Ben and his family are hoping that Mickey will also return soon.

SWAN VS MAN! Can we rescue it?!

Swan rescues are quickly becoming a common callout here at Wildlife Aid. Whether it's up a tree or in the middle of the M25, these feisty birds find themselves in some very odd situations! We were recently called out to rescue a swan that had become a little lost and had found its way into a suburban garden. As Simon was in a meeting at the time, Lawrie set off to help!

Hedgehog in FIGHT to SURVIVE being covered in tar!

This hedgehog arrived after being found covered in tar and unable to move! Maru quickly got to work removing the substance and after 6 long weeks of recovery, it was finally time for him to return to the wild.

Yesterday our team started emergency treatment of lioness Kandaka, she is emaciated, weak and on the brink of coma. This was the first step on the long road to a possible recovery. The team on-site was relieved to see that the infusion therapy seemed to show the first positive results. They are fascinated by the strength the lioness shows. Still, we all need to prepare that this could change any minute. The health of the animals at Al Qurashi Family Park zoo is extremely fragile. Please keep your fingers crossed and support us ➡ http://bit.ly/sudan-lions

Ben's new beginnings

Ben has spent his whole life in a small cage in a backyard. All he could see were bars and concrete walls. In December 2019, our team from FOUR PAWS Viet rescued Ben and brought him to our BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh. Now Ben can finally be a proper bear! He is still exploring his new life with caution and his greatest interest is food 🥦🍅🥕 As soon as Ben feels safer in his new environment, he will be released into a large outdoor enclosure.

Lioness Kandaka

The FOUR PAWS team on the ground continues to work tirelessly to improve the health conditions of the animals at Al Qurashi Family Park zoo.

Lioness Kandaka is slowly improving and responding positively to the therapy. The team are providing her with food with medication inside it, which she is accepting well. She was even eagerly waiting for the team to feed her this morning. The team is taking this as a positive sign! Kandaka is a real queen like her name suggests.

"Kandaka” is the title given to the Nubian queens of ancient Sudan whose gift to their descendants is a legacy of empowered women who fight hard for their country and their rights. In more recent times Sudanese were referring to female protestors in the 2019 revolution as “Kandakas”.

Mansour, one of the two lions in especially critical condition, seems to be responding positively to the therapy which was started after his medical examination performed by Dr. Frank Goeritz, the FOUR PAWS team together with local vets. Like Kandaka, Mansour is looking much better and was eagerly waiting for his meals. The team is very pleased with the response of the animals to the treatment and their unstoppable will to survive.

This Dog Was Abandoned and Stuck After Taal Volcano Eruptions

His leg was trapped and he was stuck for almost a week. Thanks to @PETAAsia’s relentless efforts to help animals after the Taal Volcano eruptions, Pedro was rescued! You have to see the look on his face once he realizes he's safe. You can contribute to the rescue efforts at PETA.org/Volcano.

PETA’s Animal Shelter and Field Team: Rescuing Animals Day and Night

Every day and night, in all weather extremes, including hurricane conditions and nor’easters, PETA’s Community Animal Project fieldworkers answer calls for help from people living in some of the poorest communities in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, where animals have no one else to help them. Meet our field staff and some of the animals they serve.

Volunteer with the Animal Rescue Team

One of the most commonly asked questions for our Animal Rescue Team is, “How can I volunteer?” Our team has—and relies on—a strong network of volunteers to help us make a real difference for animals in rescue and disaster relief work. We truly depend on them to help us get this important, lifesaving work done.

One of the most common mistakes prospective volunteers make is waiting until a natural or man-made disaster strikes to begin the application process and to begin proper training and preparation for becoming an Animal Rescue Team volunteer. Unfortunately, by then, it’s too late. If you want to volunteer, it’s important to apply before a disaster. If you get everything done early, you, like our many other volunteers, will be ready to deploy when animals need our help.

I can’t speak enough to the impact people feel from saving animals in need. If you want to make a difference, this is a way to do it. I encourage you to start your application today. With hurricane season on the horizon, our team will be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice - The Humane Society of the United States